City bosses say too many Liverpool landlords are being held over a barrel by big pub companies – and are urging the government to call time on excessive pricing.

They say publicans are paying over the odds for beer because they are tied’ to the ‘pubcos’ and are unable to buy in their drinks on the free market.

It is estimated city punters could be paying a premium of up to 80p a pint as landlords are forced to buy in at inflated prices.

To try to combat the problem, council chiefs are calling for a ‘right-to-buy’ scheme for licensees, who could be legally allowed to take the pub from the pubco and buy in from whoever they like.

But industry insiders said ending the ties would kill off more pubs.

Council cabinet member for enterprise and skills Cllr Nick Small said under the rules he was pressing the government to introduce, landlords would have guaranteed rights.

The change would require the pubco to sell the business at an independently-assessed market value meaning the landlord would be free to buy ale at competitive rates.

Cllr Small, who led on the council’s response to the Government’s consultation which ended on Friday, said: “Punters are paying a premium on the price of a pint and it will be good news for everyone in the city if we can get this through.

“If you let landlords decide for themselves where they buy their ale from then everyone will get a better deal.”

Research undertaken by the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) suggests some landlords are paying up to £1,000 a barrel but non-tied landlords can buy in ale as cheaply as £240 a barrel.

Steve Downing, from Camra, said: “It shows how much they are marking it up if some pubcos can afford to offer a £160 discount.”

He added that with stock, rents and rates all taken into account, some landlords in the city could be working seven day weeks for as little as £10,000 a year.

But Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), has said that “if more pubs went free of tie, more pubs and brewers would close”.